NEW OIL-FIELDS IN ARGENTINA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13921, 26 March 1909, Page 7

NEW OIL-FIELDS IN ARGENTINA.

Engineering, referring to tho discovery of a new strata of petroliferous substance of recent (cretacean) geological formation in Argentina, says that previous casual discoveries of tlie precious fuel have been made in the national territories; petroleum has been found in Jujuy, Garrapatal, Laguna de la Brea, Salta, Cacheuta. San Rafael, Santa Qruz, and Tierra del Fuego. In the Andine province of Mondoza as many as 20 wells were bored in the years 1896 land 1897, arid the illumination of this town has boon for some time supplied by gas extracted from the oil-fields of Cacheuta. Argentine oil was burnt for some time by the local Eastern Railway; but the exploitation of the Andine wells has not given the results expected. The oil production of Mendoza has been somenoV handicapped by want of organisation find the costly'means of transport. | It is "yet top, early to judge the indus-» trial value of- the new discovery of an oil-field, as the efficiency cannot ' be forseen before a great number o£ borings liave been carried out. Geographically Comodoro Rivadavia — the new oil region — is most favourably situated for the exploitation of the possible production j it is in the Gulf of St. George, on the South Atlantic coast. The first stratum of mineral substance was found at a depth of 1770 ft, with a bore having a" diameter of 4in. The. daily production has averaged 13 to 14 tons, the flow of , petroleum being obtained without the aid of pumping machinery.- The fluid comes out as a very heavy substance, of a dark-brown-ish colour, and seems especially adapted to be used as fuel. The Argentine Government has recently sent new boring machinery to Comodoro Rivadavia, . and is pushing the works of new perforations with great alacrity. Reserving for the present the circular zone as a monopoly of the State, the Government has distributed to private enterprise 10 concessions of 1000 to 2000 hectares each; these are to be worked by the newly-formed Compania de Petroleo del Golfo de S. Jorge. One great drawback for future exploitation • will be the want of a safe harbour.